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Trade the guy!
- rascal
http://spurs.realgm.com/articles/68/...u_ginobili_isn
Authored by Elliot Cole - February 18, 2008 - 1:37 pm
It’s easy to leave a guy like Manu Ginobili off of the All-Star team. He doesn't have a big media presence, he is notorious for flopping and in the collective public opinion of the San Antonio Spurs he’s buried somewhere underneath Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Eva Longoria (not literally, shame on you).
It’s also easy to say that Ginobili’s best years are behind him, or that the Spurs are struggling this year and don’t deserve a second All-Star. But then you take a look at the numbers and a paradigm shift the size of Manu’s nose smacks you in the face.
Ginobili is averaging 20.1 points a game, nothing to sneer at but modest for an All-Star shooting guard. But he also plays fewer minutes (31.1 per a game) than anyone selected for New Orleans, mostly because Popovich and the Spurs’ brass want to keep him fresh for the playoffs.
Take into account his budgeted minutes, now spread out his scoring over a full game. Over the course of 48 minutes, Ginobili averages 31.2 points a game. That’s 5th in the league. Ahead of Dwyane Wade. Ahead of Western Conference starter Allen Iverson. Ahead of Nowitzki, Yao, Boozer and Roy.
Ok, so he’s a better scorer than everyone thought, especially considering that he already has two other All-Star caliber talents on his team. But the thing about Ginobili is that he does everything. Need a rebound? Manu snags an impressive 5 a game from the guard position, including a 15 board night against Toronto (per 48 his average tops Kobe and Roy). Steals? Ninth in the NBA at 2.66 over 48 minutes. Playmaking? He’s 28th in the league in assists per 48 at 7.1, a career high. And get this: only 3 non-point guards are ahead of him (Roy, Wade, and Lebron).
Think about that.. outside of the NBA’s point guards, he’s the 4th best assist guy in the league. While we’re at it that once again puts him ahead of Kobe, who has gotten buckets of media love for passing the ball more this season.
Need shooting? Ginobili is 22nd in the league in 3-point shooting. But few players mesh outside shooting with Ginobili’s ability to get to the stripe. Per 48, only 11 players get to the line more than Manu, and he doesn’t even have the long hair to draw fouls for him anymore.
Of course, Manu’s never been a numbers guy. He’s all about intangibles, up there with Kobe as one of the most compe ive players in the modern era. He shoots an amazing 53% in “the clutch”, not to mention 91.9% from the free throw line when the game is tight. Need more? He’s created 22 assists in the last 5 minutes of tight games, but he’s only committed 1 passing turnover. A 22:1 assist to turnover ratio when the defense is set and the game is tight from one of the most balls-to-the-wall players in the league.
Finally, one last stat that trumps them all. When Manu Ginobili is on the bench, the Spurs have been outscored by two points this season. When he’s in the game, the Spurs have scored 250 points more than their opponents. He doesn’t fly like LeBron or have the finesse of Kobe, nor does he have the power of Pierce or the speed of Iverson. But Ginobili is in the same league as all of them, and deserved to be in New Orleans. Then again, maybe Spurs fans want him to be a little pissed off. After all, he’s only averaged 40 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists a game over their last 2 wins.
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Trade the guy!
- rascal
Ginobili? who?
not an all-star, huh?After all, he’s only averaged 40 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists a game over their last 2 wins.
Manu does not miss the All-Star game.
The All-Star game misses Manu.
Last edited by hsxvvd; 02-19-2008 at 06:31 AM.
True. big loss for the all star game even though you're statement is askewed chuck norris style.
anyone know how much manu has won in vegas?
Also, I would like to know how many of the AS guys have three rings or more, as Manu has. Duncan 4, Kobe 3... and?
VERY good article!!
great article. It's amazing that an argument about Manu being at the ASG can be backed in numbers, when every Spurs fan knows numbers are the less important factor of his game.
I still can't believe Brandon Freaking Roy was in Oklahoma City and Manu wasn't.
I just agree with you . manu should be an all star.
Well, the West is packed with guards. I think Brandon Roy was having a great season when the voting took place. The only guard you can argue who didn't deserve to be there was Iverson.
When he's in the game, the Spurs have scored 250 more points than the opponent.
Not even Ripley wouls believe that!
Great article!
Only fans (in this case Spurs fans) of the team he is playing for and get to watch him night after night, can fully appreciate what Manu brings to the game.
About the only National Atention he gets, is when Barkley screams out his name on the TNT telecasts.
Other fans see him in arenas around the country, and figure, yeah this guy is pretty good, but if he was AS material, we'd hear a lot more about him in the media. Most fans would never believe that he is on a level of a Kobe Bryant. What is there to be done on a BB court that Manu doesn't do?
And yeah, the AS game missed Manu, more than Manu missed them.
The latest on his resume: The Only player in NBA history to average 22/6/6 on a 9 game road trip.
And I still think that 46 point assault in Cleveland was kind of an in-your- ing-face performace for all those that didn't select him to go to New Orleans. Here's hoping Manu cleaned up in Las Vegas instead.
Devean George and Derek Fisher have 3 each ...
It is 24/6/6
I wonder how long were the road trips in the "BIG O" days.
I didn't know they were in the ASG. That's news.
Devean George and Derek Fisher played in the all-star game?
Uh no, AI deserved to be there.
Brandon Roy over Manu did not.
Great article. Manu's plays like an All Star even if he's not one. Like Pop said Manu's been a huge reason as to why all the teams he's been on during his career have won some kind of championship. I think the thing that really killed Manu's chances are all the injuries with the Spurs and the Spurs not there as the top team. I don't care though. I'm glad he got to go to Vegas and have fun and forget about basketball for a while. Besides he would've tried to play defense in the AS game again.
Is the ASG basketball?
No they didn't, but someone implying an argument that a player deserves to be in the all star game more because they have multiple championship rings is faulty.
Why? Cuz AI has flashy stats? Take a look at Roy and his all around game. It's not even close.
So many players get snubbed every year, i'm not worried about manu not getting in...he gets recognition when it matters, like during the finals.
Good reading ... BTW, Manu won't never understand how to play lazy
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